Steve Davis six frames down in World Championship quarter-final

Pressure pot: Steve Davis has struggeld in the first session of his quarter-final with Neil Robertson. Photograph: Rui Vieira/PA

Steve Davis entered the arena to a standing ovation but left it 7-1 down to Neil Robertson after today's first session of their Betfred World Championship quarter-final at the Crucible.

The half-hour opening frame – with Davis averaging a funereal 43 seconds a shot – was in doubt until Robertson potted the last red but with breaks of 92 and 63 he went 3-0 up, converted to 4-0 from 47-0 down with a run of 57, plus a green to pink clearance.

Davis did win the 29-minute fifth, the sort of fragmentary, tactical frame of which he remains a master, but made minimal impact on the sixth or the seventh, which Robertson seized with a run of 89.

Overall, Davis made poor use of his chances and recorded a highest break for the morning of only 29. From his failure on 25 in the last frame before lunch, Robertson made 53 to assure himself of a six frame lead and raise the possibility that the Davis fairytale might end in the indignity of defeat with a session to spare.